Piano guard and rest



(No Model.)

L. W. NORCROSS. PIANO GUARD AND REST.

No. 552,138. Patented 1355.31, 1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

LEVI lVATSON NORCROSS, OF PARIS, TEXAS.

PIANO GUARD AND REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,138, dated December 31, 1895.

Application filed August 20, l 8 9 5.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Ie it known that I, LEVI VATSON NOR- CROss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pars, in the county of Ila-mar and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Piano Guard and Rest, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an attachment for pianos designed for use as a guard to protect the instrument from injuryto the front of the keyboard when being moved through narrow passage-ways, and as a rest for the feet of performers unable to reach the licor to prevent conta-ct and consequent defacing of the lower panels.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with my invention applied in the operative position to a piano, the attachment being arranged in a position to serve as afront guard. Fig. 2 is avertical section showing the attachment arranged in position to serve as a guard for the front panel of the instrument, and shown in dotted lines in its folded or inoperative position. Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective of the attachment inverted. Fig. 4 is a similar view of amodied form of attach nient.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates a bar approximately equal in length to the keyboard, and provided at its extremities with arms 2 having their inner ends slotted, as shown at 3, and mounted upon pivot-pins 4. These pivot-pins are earried by brackets 5 secured to the under surface of the keyboard-frame, and mounted upon the inner ends of the pins are followers G, adapted to be forced toward the brackets by means of thumb-nuts 7 threaded upon the pins. The

slotted arms of the attachment are thus arranged between the contiguous faces of the followers and brackets which combine to form clamps to secure the arms in the desired position, said contiguous faces of the members of the clamps being roughened or serrated to in- Serial No. 559,944. (No model.)

sure the proper' locking of the attachment. Arranged in advance of the brackets are bracing-blocks S, having their inner sides clothed, as shown at 9, with felt or similar material, whereby when the attachment is arranged in its horizontal position, with the arms thereof forced between the clothed surfaces of the bracing blocks, it is held from vibration. Then the bar l, which is arranged parallel with the front of the keyboard, is projected beyond the keyboard, it serves as a guard to protect the front of the instrument in moving, and at the saine time serves as a grip to assist in moving the instrument.

In addition to the above-described position of the attachment it may be arranged with the front bar contiguous to the front panel of the instrument, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and in order to prevent the bar from being forced back against the front of the instrument the brackets are provided with proj ections 10, against which the arms bear when in a vertical position, thus holding the bar at a safe distance from the panel to serve as a foot-rest and step for a pupil who is unable to reach the floor when mounted upon the seat, and who is unable to mount and dismount without assistance. The cross-bar may be arranged in any desired position between those shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 2 to suit the purpose for which it is to be used and the size of the pupil. It is obvious, fur thermore, that the device maybe constructed of any preferred material, either metal of any kind or wood, and that if preferred the front or cross bar maybe clothed with felt or other suitable material. f

In Figs. l to 3 the bar and arms are constructed of a single blank of round wire or rod, and the slots at the ends of the side arms are formed by bending or doubling the rod upon itself; but in Fig. l the arms are constructed of flat bars and are slotted. The former construction. is preferable because lighter in appearance for the same strength.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to'without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages of this invention.. i

Having described my invention, what I claim is- IOO l. A guard for pianos having a cross-bar provided with pivotal arms adapted to be arranged in eitherahorizontal position with the cross-bar in front of the keyboard or in a depending approximatelyvertical position with the cross-bar contiguous to the front casepanel to act as a foot-rest and guard, and means for securing the same in the desired position, substantially as s pecilied.

2. A guard for the purpose named, having a horizontal bar provided with slotted arms, fixed pivot pins arranged beneath the keyboard and engaging the slots of the arms, whereby the horizontal bar maybe arranged in front of the key-board and contiguous to the front panel of the instrument, or maybe arranged beneath and contiguous to the keyboard, and means for securing the same in the desired position, substantially as specied.

A guard for the purpose named, having a horizontal bar provided with pivotal arms whereby the bar may be arranged either in front of the key-board or contiguous to the front panel of a piano7 means for locking the arms in the desired position7 and projections on the brackets for engagement by the arms to limit the rearward movement of the horizontal bar, substantially as speciiied.

4L. A guard for the purpose named, having a horizontal bar provided With slotted arms,

pivot pins engaging the slots of the arms, and

clamps'having fixed members by which the pivot pins are supported, followers mounted to slide upon the pivot pins, and thumb-screws for actua-ting the followers, the contiguous faces of the followers and fixed members being roughened, substantially as specified.

5. A guard for the purpose named, having a horizontal bar, arms connected to the extremities of said bar and adapted to be pivotally mounted below a key-board, and bracing blocks arranged respectively contiguous to the arms and provided with clothed faces between which the arms are arranged When in their horizontal position to prevent vibration, substantially as specified.v

6. A guard for the purpose named, having a horizontal bar and integral arms doubled upon themselves at their extremities to form slots,pivot pins upon which the slots are iitted, and means for securing the parts at the desired adjustment, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

LEVI wWATSON NORCROSS.

litnessesz J. XV. DEAN, J. B. KEATING. 

